A Sensory Overload

After taking a seat and reflecting on just how far marketing has reached in manipulation, the realization I came to was simply disturbing. Now, everyone is used to being bombarded by visual stimulus in advertising all the time so much that visual advertising has become ineffective; “Studies have shown that the more stimulated we are, the harder it [simply is] to catch our attention” (Lindstrom 142). Because we are so visually over-stimulated, our awareness and defenses against visual marketing are at an all time high. So, why would I be so disturbed on the topic of advertising? It’s because I’m disturbed by the advertisement that we are being bombarded by on the subliminal level. The idea of “Sensory Branding” which involves not just presenting a visual advertisement, but coupling that with the “pumping of fragrances into our nostrils and music into our ears as well” (Lindstrom 143).

The notion that Sensory Branding is at work seems unfamiliar at the offset, but it at the most basic levels it’s easy to find anywhere when you look for it Now, cutting aside more obvious examples, I would like to point out one place where Sensory Branding reigns supreme. That place is Barnes & Nobles. As a student I like to study there. Now why am I more likely to study there than I am at the school or public library? I mean, logically speaking everything at Barnes & Nobles costs money and libraries are bound to be equipped better with books that might help in my studies. So, It makes no sense …until you think of the atmosphere. At any library it’s generally quiet with a dreary setting. At Barnes & Nobles it is completely the opposite. The setting is a bookstore with a Starbucks Café to sit in. What this consists of is an experienced jam packed full of visually enticing Baked goods, the aromas of various coffees and baked goods spread around all coupled with a great mix of calming music to you feel at home. Some obvious advertising cues might be the smell of coffee or the sight of the café as “Of all our senses, smell is the most primal, the most deeply rooted. When we smell something, the odor receptors in our nose make an unimpeded beeline to our limbic system, which controls our emotions, memories, and sense of well being. As a result our gut response is instantaneous”(Lindstrom 147). We have no control over our sense of smell, and sometimes it can and will dictate what we buy, in this case it might be that triple chocolate cookie with a coffee; a cookie that you probably had no intention of initially buying. It is obvious that smell sells, and we are generally unable to control this as smell is most primal of senses, but I wouldn’t deem it the only thing to watch out for. Another form of sensory branding that seems dangerous is sound branding in the music which creates an ambiance of a café in the store. “Sound s trigger strong associations and emotions and can exert a powerful influence on our behavior” (Lindstrom 159). It may seem preposterous, but they infiltrate every level of our subconscious, evoking strong associations with the café setting at B&N. Whether it is a smell which might affect our appetite or music which makes an illusion of a café, the simple fact of the matter is that we are being assailed on every front by Sensory Branding. What Barnes and Nobles has created is not just a book store or a café to sell products, but they have created a unique setting full of Sensory Branding designed to keep a customer there for as long as possible, which will consequently boost sales. In conclusion, I want to say in an age where books are becoming extinct in place of E-Books and where even their competitor Borders has bankrupted, how does Barnes & Nobles stand strong? It obviously isn’t just the sales of books that keep this giant bookstore chain open.